Quite beside the continuing mayhem, action and general all-out fun within the pages of 2000AD (favourite line: “Obliterate the capitalist quadruped scum!” in “Judge Dredd“, thank you Rob Williams!), my pick of the week is the first issue of Dynamite Entertainment’s James Bond – Hammerhead, written by Andy Diggle.

We’ve already posted got a review and a peek at some of the pages, a taster that was more than enough for me to plan to track it down from First Age Comics, who will be selling it at this year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival over the weekend. The art by Luca Casalanguida is just stunning, and a big tip of the hat to colourist Chris Blythe, too. Your mission, if you haven’t already – track it down.

There’s more great stuff from Titan Comics, too, with the debut issue of the brand-new, electrifying Warhammer 40,000: Will of Iron series is in stores! The Space Marines return to comics in a brand-new ongoing story written by George Mann (Dark Souls) with art by Tazio Bettin (Independence Day) and Enrica Eren Angolini.

Titan’s Hard Case Crime also kicks into fifth gear with the release of Peepland #1 – a punky semi-autobiographical 1980s neo-noir – from writers Christa Faust, Gary Phillips(The Underbelly, The Rinse) and artist Andrea Camerini (Il Troio). It’s pitched to us as “Taxi Driver meets Goodfellas”, and follows on from the release of Triggerman #1 last week, written by film director Walter Hill.

This week also sees the release of The Chimera Brigade #1 by Serge Lehman and Fabrice Colin with art by Gess. This stunning, critically-acclaimed period cross is a thrilling alternative reality pulp-style adventure for fans of B.P.R.D. and The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Finally, how can I not plug Rivers of London: Black Mould #1? The Rivers of London comic caught everyone by surprise on its original release and the team behind it, who include the award-winning book series’ creator Ben Aaronovitch,in partnership with writer Andrew Cartmel and artist Lee Sullivan. Well it seems there’s no stopping this hugely-successful comic now. Check it out for some more dark and dangerous urban fantasy! Check out a “Sneak Peek” here

UK Newsagents Releases

There are plenty of comics on sale in newsagents that still delight in bringing you such subversive delights, including 2000AD, The Beano, Danger Mouse comic, Commando (latest release intel here), Judge Dredd Megazine, Panini Comics Marvel Collector Editions titles, Titan Comics superhero titles and VIZ, with great strips also featuring in titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Doctor Who Adventures, Titan’s Doctor Who: Tales from the TARDIS (collecting their strips from the US format titles), Mega, TOXIC and many others.

Don’t forget the wonderful Phoenix Comic is on sale in many (but not all) Waitrose supermarkets and selected high street WH Smiths stores – and some comic shops (stockist list here), as well as available on subscription.

So let’s not get too downhearted by some British publishers lack of faith in full-blown cover to cover comic strip action and humour that only those of us over a certain age remember.

Digital Comic Picks

Aces WeeklyVolume 24is on sale now! Just £1 a week gets you on board, forever! Jump on board now. This is great original digital comics from great people. More info at www.acesweekly.co.uk/shop

Don’t miss out on all the Previous Volumes, either, which have up to 200 pages of comics including Extras, and in full form feature in an exclusive Week-to-Week facility, which transforms any volume’s serialised stories into continuous comic book-sized narratives.

If you already subscribe to Aces Weekly, then David and the team are count on any help you think you can give them to let everyone know about the comic, and they greatly appreciate anything you can do. Cyberspace publishing benefits reader and creator alike in the way Aces Weekly does it do it, and will always do it, but it needs help to make its way to the target it deserves to reach. Spread the word!

Titan Comics

Is the time for morality lessons truly over? The year is 1938, and a new generation of super-humans, born as a side effect of secret chemical weapons, have taken control of the capital cities of Europe… The Age of Super-science has arrived.

A stunning period cross between The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Planetary and B.P.R.D.

Norman returns! In this charming tale of brutal murder and gore, the eight- year-old serial killer sharpens his knives once again in an effort to truly live up to his heroes. Is it too much to ask that everyone be just a tiny bit more supportive of his dreams?

Dark Souls: Legends of the Flame #2 – Cover A

Dark Souls: Legends of the Flame #2
Writers: Various
Artists: Various

In a realm where hollowed champions rise and fall with the ages, where brave knights quest for absolution and bonfires blaze against the everdark, myth and legend will forever prevail. From the desolate worlds of Namco-Bandai’s critically-lauded videgame series comes this unsettling collection of all-new Dark Souls tales, written and drawn by some of the comic industry’s finest. Building upon the extensive lore of the franchise, this action-packed anthology is essential for all fans of the game.

Times Square, 1986: the home of New York’s red light district where strip clubs, porno theatres and petty crime prevails.

When a chance encounter for Peepbooth worker Roxy Bell leads to the brutal murder of a public access pornographer, the erotic performer and her punk rock ex-partner Nick Zero soon find themselves under fire from criminals, cops, and the city elite, as they begin to untangle a complex web of corruption leading right to city hall.

Like The Naked City, there are eight million stories in The Deuce. This is one of them.

It creeps! It crawls! It ooooozes! Something dark and slimy is dripping through the walls of suburban London. Not usually a police matter but there’s something very weird about this mould. Police Constable Peter Grant and his unwilling partner, Sahra Guleed, soon find themselves knee deep in killer muck! Meanwhile, their boss, Thomas Nightingale, is preparing to do battle against a haunted ice cream van. Good times.

After a thousand years, violent warp storms have receded from the Calaphrax Cluster, and an ancient battlefront in the war against Chaos has again been opened to the universe.

Now, multiple forces risk complete immolation to attack the sector – drawn by the lure of ancient relics, lost knowledge, and powerful megaweapons, buried for aeons. Chief among those forces, the fearsome Dark Angels, emerald-armored Space Marines, shock-troopers of the Emperor’s Imperium and indomitable defenders of humanity. But Chaos stirs in the warp, and the Dark Angels will not be alone for long!

Based in the universe of the ever-popular miniatures game, novels, and videogames, this new ongoing series is perfect for both the hardcore Warhammer 40,000 fan and the complete newcomer!

US Comics On Sale This Week

List in part courtesy First Age Comics Lancaster – all the comics below can be ordered through your local comic shop, as can the 2000AD and Titan Comics titles above

Please note that this weekend, First Age shop is open as well as having a stand at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival in Kendal. But, opening times this weekend are slightly shorter due to reduced staff and child labour laws(!) so today, Friday, they are closing at 4.00pm. On Saturday they’re opening 11.00am to 4.00pm and will be closed Sunday closed as normal but will be offering comic goodness to all comers at LICAF!

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John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, John describes himself as is a "freelance comics operative", currently working as a freelance editor for TITAN COMICS, as Creative Consultant on the new DAN DARE audio adventures for B7 Media, and on promotional work for the LAKES INTERNATIONAL COMIC ART FESTIVAL and LANCASTER COMICS DAY.
John has worked in British comics publishing for over 30 years, starting out at Marvel UK, where he edited a number of the Genesis 1992 books with Paul Neary. His numerous credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine at Marvel and Star Trek Magazine and Babylon 5 Magazine at Titan Magazines, where he was Managing Editor.
He also edited STRIP Magazine and worked as an editor on several audio comics for ROK Comics, including TEAM M.O.B.I.L.E. and THE BEATLES STORY.
Most recently he is writing CRUCIBLE as a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz, published on Tapastic; and DEATH DUTY and SKOW DOGS with Dave Hailwood for the digital comic 100% Biodegradable.